Foot-accelerator for automobiles.



F. J. PAEPKE.

FOOT ACCELERATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, 1915.

1517?,1 32 Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Waweooao THE C OLUMBIA PLAglouRAPH c0. WASHINGTON. n c.

FREDERIC J'. PAEPKE, OFF BURLINGTON, WISCONSIN.

FOOT-ACCELERATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Application filed January 11, 1915. Serial No. 1,632.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIG J. PAEPKE, citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot- Accelerators for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines for automobiles and more specifically to means for controlling the speed of the engine through the manipulation of the throttle valve or other controlling element. l i

The primary object of the invention is to provide novel means of a simple character, whereby such valve can be manipulated by the foot without in any way interfering with the usual hand operated device, so that the speed of the enginecan be easily con trolled when the hands of the operator are occupied with other duties.

A further and important object is to provide a structure that can be employed in connection with any well known type of motor (the device being particularly adapted for use in connection with Ford automobiles) and may be either in the form of an attachment, with which such motor can be equipped or to constitute a unitary portion of the original mechanism or machine.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, illustrating the application of the invention in connection with a Ford machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device or apparatus as illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating in elevation the detail formation of the foot controlled lever and its support; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating the connection between the foot lever and the operating rod; and Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views showing the detail arrangement of constituent parts. a 7

Before proceeding with the description of the drawings, I desire to call particular attention to the fact that while I have evolved my invention with reference to its use in connection with a stock car of the Ford type, the same may be readily utilized,

by slight modification, in connection with va" rious other stock cars of any standard make.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, l designates the dashboard, 2 the floor, 3 the steering wheel, 4: the steering post, 5 the hand operated throttle rod, 6 the carbureter and its associated throttle valve and 7 the rod which in thepresent motor structure of a Ford car directly connects the throttle valve and the said rod 5. The parts above referred to and the stud 8 mounted on the rod 5 form a part of a standard Ford car as now constructed, the said car being limited to a hand control or accelerator, the connecting rod 7 and the stud 8 being directly attached.

As before suggested, and in order that the throttle valve or carbureter may be subjectcd to foot control, I provide a foot lever 9 of the bell crank type, one arm of which is curved to extend through an opening therefor at the base of the dash-board 1, the said arm terminating at a convenient point with respect to the seat of the driver and being provided with a pedal 10 of a suitable size and design. Lever 9 is pivoted as at 11 to a specially constructed bracket 12 afiixed as at 13 to a car body, the said bracket also serving as a hearing or support for the operating rod 14, the said rod being supported at its opposite end by means of a bracket 15 mounted conveniently within the engine hood. The opposite end of the lever 9 from that upon which the pedal 10 is formed has a direct connection with the rod 14 through the medium of a rod 16 and a link or arm 17, the former having a loose connection with the lever 9 and the latter a rigid connection with the rod 14:. A spring 18 is afiixed at one end to the engine support and at its opposite end to the arm 17 whereby to normally exert a downward pull on said arm and consequently maintain the pedal 10 extended inwardly relatively to the floor 2 or hood 1 of the machine.

Stud 8 carries a pin 19 which, as shown to advantage in Fig. 5 of the drawings is in the direct path of movement of an arm 20 mounted on the rod 14-, said arm being movable with the rod and having connection with the connecting rod 7 whereby to actuate the former in the manner desired. Heretofore, the rod 7 has been directly connected to the stud 8.

As a foot accelerator, it is evident that the device herein disclosed may be used with facility, for when it is desired that the throttle valve be widely opened, it is but neces sary to swing the pedal 10, such movement of the pedal causing an upward pressure to be exerted on rod 16 and a like movement to be imparted on the arm 17 whereby to rotate the rod let and consequently the arm 20, the latter exerting a pull on the throttle valve by reason of its connection therewith through the agency of the connecting rod 7.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is evident that I have conceived a novel and simple foot control device with which a Ford automobile may be readily equipped without in any way altering the present structure other than disconnecting the rod 7 and the stud 8; that the equipment of a Ford car with the accelerator just described will in no way interfere with the operation of the throttle valve through manipulation of the hand control throttle rod 5; and that if desired, the said hand control rod may be set in such relation to its associated segment as to partly open the throttle valve, the latter being widely opened through the manipulation of the pedal 10 without in any way changing the set position of the first mentioned rod.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may he resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot accelerator comprising in'combination with a throttle valve, a hand control throttle rod, and a stud mounted to turn therewith, of a foot operated lever, an operating rod, a connection between the rod and the lever, an arm on the rod to engage the stud, means connecting the arm and the throttle valve to actuate the throttle through movement of the foot lever, and a support for the said lever.

2. A foot accelerator comprising in combination with the throttle valve, a hand control throttle rod, and a stud turnable with the rod, of a foot operated lever of the bell crank type, a rotatable operating rod, means mounted on the rod and connected to the bell crank lever to turn the rod upon movement of the pedal in one direction, an arm turnable with the rod, means on the stud to engage the arm, a connection between the arm and the throttle valve to actuate the latter through movement of the pedal, and means to reversely rotate the rod and return the pedal to its normal inoperative position when released.

3. In a foot accelerator for automobiles, the combination with the throttle valve, a hand control throttle rod, and a stud mounted on the rod to turn therewith, of a foot 0perated lever of the bell crank type, a support for the lever, a rotatable operating rod mounted at one end in said support, a first arm mounted on the rod to rotate therewith, a rod connecting the lever and the arm to rotate the rod through movement of the lever, a second arm mounted on the rod to rotate therewith, a pin mounted on the stud, the said second arm being engageable with the pin to actuate the hand control throttle rod through manipulation of the foot lever, a rod connecting the said second arm with the throttle valve to manipulate the former through actuation of either the hand control throttle rod or the foot lever, and a spring having connection with the first mentioned arm to reversely rotate the rod and return the foot lever to its normal inoperative position, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERIC J. PAEPKE.

Witnesses:

W. H. KRUGKMAN, L. W. GLAsER;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01. Patents,

Washington, D. 0. i 

